Receptacle closure



y c. E. BROWNELL ,475, 5

- RECEP'IAGLE CLOSURE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l Clifford f. 5/0W/7// ATTORNEY) 4. I y c. E. BROWNELL 2,475,125

REGEPTACLE CLOSURE 7 Filed Feb. 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3. F752 4.

444/4039 36 2,7 4/ 4039.36 25 r I g INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGEPTACLE CLOSURE Clifiord E. Brownell, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Lisk- Savory Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application February 12, 1948, Serial No. 7,790

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to covers or lids for garbage cans or other receptacles and particularly to novel means for manipulating such covers or lids.

Receptacles of this general class are familiarly employed domestically for the reception of garbage and other waste materials and the conventional type includes a housing, generally cylindrical but occasionally rectangular or otherwise, and a cover or lid therefor operable from a foot pedal located at the base of the device. In the prior art, operation of the cover or lids of devices of this kind is such that foot pressure on the pedal raises the cover or lid and the lid immediately closes when foot pressure is released. Generally speaking, the prior art makes no provision for retaining the lid in an open position excepting by manually grasping the open lid or cover or by holding the foot pedal depressed.

In my prior co-pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 699,977, filed September 28, 1946, I provide means whereby foot pedal depression opens the lid and the lid remains in open position when foot pedal pressure is removed.

In the construction of my prior application for Letters Patent the arrangement is such that a subsequent depression of the pedal with the lid in open position causes the lid to be closed. In this way the lid may, whenever desired, be maintained in open position without any special manipulation and without the necessity for maintaining pressure on the foot pedal.

In the construction set forth in my prior application, if it is not desired to maintain the lid in open position, it is not necessary to employ the two-stage pedal operation. Operation in the conventional prior art manner may be carried out by merely depressing the pedal less than its full amount, whereby the lid or cover will close when pressure is removed from the pedal.

In my present invention I provided a receptacle cover operating structure embodying the advantages of my prior application in an extremely simple mechanical structure. The simplicity of the construction of the present invention, of course, renders its initial cost low by virtue of the ease with which the parts may be fabricated and assembled and the fact that a minimum number of parts are required. Apart from this, however, the simplicity of the structure is of marked advantage in actual use since it is fool-proof to a high degree and this is an important consideration when it is considered that a device of the present class is subject to frequent use and abwse.

Most of the receptacles of the class here under consideration are cylindrical and, therefore, pedal mechanisms are generally adapted to suit themselves to such construction. Space limitations and other considerations are such that preferred mechanisms comprise a lever extending from front to rear of the device beneath the usable receptacle space with an operating link at the front end of the lever and an upwardly extending link at the rear end which extends up to the lid hinge structure. This vertical link is usually located outside of the confines of the receptacle proper for reasons of simplicity and practicality.

The accompanying drawings and the following detailed specification set forth by way of example one complete embodiment of my invention. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the invention is not limited to that form or otherwise than as defined. in the appended claims. Various mechanical modifications and adaptations of the underlying principles will occur to those skilled in the art, within the scope of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a receptacle embodying the principles of the present invention in one form, with the cover closed;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear view on an enlarged scale of the hinge portion of the receptacle of Fig. l, likewise with the cover closed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line III-J11 of Fig. 2 but with the hinge parts in the position the assume when the pedal has been depressed in the lid opening operation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts as they appear after the pedal has been released, with the lid still in an open position; and

Fig. 5 is .a View similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but with the parts in the position they assume when the pedal has been fully depressed to close the cover or lid.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral l0 designates a cylindrical casing having a lid or cover I l therefor. Devices of this class are generally provided with an inner removable receptacle (not shown) and consequently the casing l5 comprises merely a bottomless hollow cylinder. A horizontal bar l2 may extend diametrically across the interior of the casing III as indicated in Fig. 1, being secured to the inner walls of the casing Iii at its opposite ends by welding or the like. The inner receptacle, which usually comprises a metal pail, may rest on rail l2 and be supported entirely thereby.

Rail |2 also serves as a support and fulcrum for an operating lever I3 which is pivoted to rail 2 as at M and projects from the forward side of the casing where it terminates in an operating pedal l5. Lever l3 also projects at the rear of the casing l where it is pivoted to a generally upright link I6 as at IT. Pedal I is normally biased to the elevated position illustrated in Fig. 1 by means of a torsion spring which has one of its ends anchored to rail |2 as at 2| and its other acting against lever 'l3 as at 22, the intermediate coiled portion 23 of spring 20 being anchored to rail l2. Spring 2|] thus tends to rotate lever 3 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1.

Cover or lid H has fixed to its rear edge a hinge element 26 which has a pair of spaced depending flanges 21 and a further flange 28 which extends inside of cover I I as shown in Fig. 3 and is Welded or otherwise secured thereto. A cooperating hinge element 30 is fixed to the outside of easing l0 and includes a pair of spaced parallel flanges 3| and 32 which fit slidably between the depending flanges 21 of the hinge element 26 of cover II. The flanges 3| and 32 of hinge element 30 are pivoted to the flanges 21 of hinge element 26 as at 34.

A bracket 38 is fixed to the under side of the web portion of hinge element 26 by spot welding or the like and includes a depending flange 39 provided with an elongate slot 40 having upward enlargements 4| and 42 at its opposite ends. The upper end of link I6 is provided with a pivot pin 44 which rides in slot 4|]. Pivot pin 44 may comprise a rivet or shoulder screw or other device for retaining the upper end of link I6 and depending flange 39 in adjacent sliding engagement with each other.

The operation of the foregoing mechanism will now be described. It will be noted that when the parts are in the rest position illustrated in Fig. 1 that link I6 is tilted to the left as there viewed so that gravity causes it to lie against the left side of the enlargement 4| at one end of slot 4|]. Therefore, when treadle I5 is depressed link [6 is moved upwardly and its pivot pin 44 enters enlargement 4| and moves. depending flange 39 and with it hinge element 28 and cover element H in a clockwise direction to the position of Fig. 3. In such position cover element II is well past dead-center in a clockwise direction relative to its pivot connection 34 so that cover element II will remain in open position when pressure is removed from pedal l5. When such pressure is removed, the pedal returns to its raised position drawing link It downwardly to the position of Fig. 4, without disturbing the cover When link I6 is in the position of ,Fig. 4, its upper end is tilted to the right so that pivot pin 44 thereof tends to ride against the righthand wall of enlargement 42 of slot 40. Accordingly, a subsequent depression of pedal l5 raises link l6 and causes pivot pin 44 to enter enlargement 42 and rotate depending flange 39, hinge element 26, and cover element II, in a counterclockwise direction about pivot pins 34 to a closed position.

If it is desired to merely raise lid without having it retained in open position, the pedal 5 is depressed to open the lid, but not far enough to cause it to move over dead-center.

4 The lid M will then return to closed position as soon as pedal pressure is released.

In the full-open position of lid illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, further opening movement of the lid is arrested by abutment of the outer edges 5|] and 5| of flanges 3| and 32 of the receptacle hinge element 30 against the inner face of the web of cover hinge element 26.

What is claimed is:

l. A receptacle and a cover therefor, said receptacle and cover having rearwardly offset portions pivoted to provide a hinge axis for said cover spaced rearwardly of the receptacle proper, said cover ofiset portion including means providing a slot extending rearwardly upwardly with the cover in closed position and having upward extensions at its opposite ends, the opposite ends of said slot lying at opposite sides of the hinge axis, a vertically extending link having a portion at its upper end slidable in said slot, means biasing said link to a lowered position and means for selectively raising the link to operate the cover whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage the slot extension between the receptacle and the hinge axis and move the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot extension at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

2. A receptacle and a cover therefor, said receptacle and cover having portions pivoted to provide a hinge axis for said cover, said cover hinge portion including means providing a slot extending rearwardly upwardly with the cover in closed position and having upward extensions at its opposite ends, the opposite ends of said slot lying at opposite sides of the hinge axis, a vertically extending link having a portion at its upper end slidable in said slot, means biasing said link'to a lowered position and means for selectively raising the link to operate the cover whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage one of the slot extensions to move the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot extension at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

3. A receptacle and a cover therefor, said receptacle and cover having rearwardly offset portions pivoted to provide a hinge axis for said cover spaced rearwardly of the receptacle proper, said cover oiTset portion including means providing a slot having upward extensions at its opposite ends, the opposite ends of said slot lying at opposite sides of the hinge axis, a vertically extending link having a portion at its upper end slidable in said slot, means biasing said link to a lowered position and means for selectively raising the link to operate the cover whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage the slot extension be tween the receptacle and the hinge axis and move the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot extension at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

4. A receptacle and a cover therefor, said receptacle and cover having portions pivoted to provide a hinge axis for said cover, said cover hinge portion including means providing a slot having upward extensions at its opposite ends, the opposite ends of said slot lying at opposite sides of the hinge axis, a vertically extending link having a portion at its upper end slidable in said slot, means biasing said link to a lowered position and means for selectively raising the link to operate the cover whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage one of the slot extensions to move the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot extension at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

5. A receptacle and a cover therefor, said receptacle and cover having portions pivoted to provide a hinge axis for said cover, said cover hinge portion including means providing a slot having its opposite ends lying at opposite sides of the hinge axis, a vertically extending link having a portion at its upper end slidable in said slot, means biasing said link to a lowered position and means for selectively raising the link to operate the cover whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage the slot at one side of the hinge axis and move the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

6. In a receptacle having a cover hinged thereto, cover operating mechanism comprising a generally horizontal operating lever having an intermediate pivotal mounting and extending across said receptacle adjacent the bottom there- 'of, link means extendin upwardly from one end of said lever and an operating pedal at the other end of said lever, said cover including means having a slot having its opposite ends lying at opposite sides of the cover hinge axis, said link having means at its upper end slidably engageable in said slot whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage the slot at one side of the hinge axis and moves the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

7. In a receptacle having a cover hinged thereto, cover operatin mechanism comprising a generally horizontal operating lever having an intermediate pivotal mounting and extending across said receptacle adjacent the bottom thereof, link means extending upwardly from one end of said lever and an operatin pedal at the other end of said lever, said cover including means having a slot having its opposite ends lying at opposite sides of the cover hinge axis and having upward extensions at its opposite ends, said link having means at its upper end slidably engageable in said slot whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage one of the slot extensions to move the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot extension at the other side of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

8. In a receptacle having a cover hinged thereto on an axis disposed rearwardly of the receptacle proper, cover operating mechanism comprising a generally horizontal operating lever having an intermediate pivotal mounting and extending across said receptacle adjacent the bottom thereof, link means extending upwardly from the rear end of said lever and an operating pedal at the front end of said lever, said cover including means having a slot extending both forwardly and rearwardly of thecover hinge axis, said link having means at its upper end slidably engageable in said slot whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage the slot forwardly of the hinge axis and moves the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot rearwardly of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

9. In a. receptacle having a cover hinged thereto on an axis disposed rearwardly of the receptacle proper, cover operating mechanism comprising a generally horizontal operating lever having an intermediate pivotal mounting and extending across said receptacle adjacent the bottom thereof, link means extending upwardly from the rear end of said lever and an operating pedal at the front end of said lever, said cover including means havin a slot extending both forwardly and rearwardly of the cover hinge axis and having upward extensions at its opposite ends, said link having means at its upper end slidably engageable in said slot whereby raising said link with the cover closed causes the link portion to engage the slot extension lying forwardly of the hinge axis and moves the cover to over-center open position and raising said link with the cover open causes the link portion to engage the slot extension lyin rearwardly of the hinge axis to pivot the cover to closed position.

CLIFFORD E. BROWNELL.

No references cited. 

